For Mayor: Tony Muro

Our Towns

Vernon

October 21, 1997

Few could dispute Democratic Mayor Tony Muro's passion for Vernon and for his job. It's evident with every statement and gesture. If anything, Mr. Muro has had a tendency to go overboard, micromanaging town affairs. He's got to stop peering under the hoods of police cruisers and put greater faith in his employees.

Other than his occasional overzealousness, Mr. Muro, 54, has done an admirable job in his first term as mayor and merits re-election.

For someone who has been a public employee and worked in higher education for 32 years, Republican Joseph Grabinski holds some surprising, and misguided, opinions. He claims that as much as $5 million of the school system's $34 million budget is ``fat'' and can be eliminated without hurting town children. He suggests eliminating some administrators and maintenance staff. Even if that were done, it would fall far short of $5 million.

Mr. Grabinski, 69, contends the way to save Rockville General Hospital and its 600 jobs is to sue the corporation that operates the medical facility. Mr. Grabinski believes the rightful owner of the hospital is the town. Such a belligerent strategy is not likely to be successful.

Mr. Muro is trying a more neighborly approach, working to keep powerful competitors out of town that would siphon business from Rockville Hospital.

During his two years, Mr. Muro has won grants to rehabilitate housing and demolished units beyond repair. He has set in motion plans for Vernon to take over empty mills and clean the sites of pollutants. He has succeeded in keeping tax increases to a minimum, with the largest chunk going to pay for a state-mandated water treatment plant. And he has extended office hours in town hall to accommodate working residents. In short, Mr. Muro has done a workmanlike job.